Title: The use of a neonatal mouse model to study respiratory syncytial virus infections.

Authors: Cormier, Stephania A; You, Dahui; Honnegowda, Srinivasa

Published In Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther, (2010 Dec)

Abstract: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is the most significant cause of viral death in infants worldwide. The significant morbidity and mortality associated with this disease underscores the urgent need for the development of an RSV vaccine. The development of an RSV vaccine has been hampered by our limited understanding of the human host immune system, which plays a significant role in RSV pathogenesis, susceptibility and vaccine efficacy. As a result, animal models have been developed to better understand the mechanisms by which RSV causes disease. Within the past few years, a revolutionary variation on these animal models has emerged--age at time of initial infection--and early studies in neonatal mice (aged <7 days at time of initial infection) indicate the validity of this model to understand RSV infection in infants. This article reviews available information on current murine and emerging neonatal mouse RSV models.

PubMed ID: 21133663

MeSH Terms: Age Factors; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Disease Models, Animal*; Humans; Infant; Mice; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections*/immunology; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections*/prevention & control; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections*/virology; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines/immunology*; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines/pharmacology; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses/immunology*; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses/pathogenicity; Respiratory Tract Infections*/immunology; Respiratory Tract Infections*/prevention & control; Respiratory Tract Infections*/virology; Sigmodontinae